The Lie, or the Truth?
by XCrystallineRoseX
Summary: When Harry finds out something he's not supposed to, what will happen?
1. The Lie is Uncovered

**The Lie is Uncovered  
**

Harry, Ron and Hermione were just finishing up their murky green potion when they heard the sound of glass shattering.

"Oh no!" cried Hermione.

"Oh, dangitall! I'm sorry guys, I didn't mean to," said Ron.

"Well, I suppose we'll have to do it all over again," Hermione said sarcastically.

"Hermione, it was just an accident. No need to get so upset," said Harry, trying to defend Ron.

Just then, Snape appeared in front of them with a loathing look unlike any of them had ever seen before.

"I see somebody was being very foolish," said Snape

"Umm, sorry Professor Snape. It was my fault. I didn't have a good enough grip on the jar," said Harry hesitantly.

"I see," said Snape. "You will now start over and serve two hours of detention after school today while I teach you how to properly handle glass jars"

The rest of the class bursted with laughter as the trio looked mournfully at each other.

"Yes, Professor Snape," Harry replied.

"Great, now I have detention with Snape! At the rate I'm going, they'll kick me out soon!" said Harry as they all returned to the Gryffindor common room.

"Well, thank you, though," said Ron. "That was really nice of you."

"Well if you hadn't been playing with that potion in the first place, this never would have happened," said Hermione in a maternal voice.

"Sorry," said Ron as he hung his head even lower.

As the hours went on, Hermione and Harry forgave Ron and went to the rest of their classes. When they returned to the common room at the end of the day, they did as they always had; sat down, got their homework out and studied together. About half an hour went by until Harry remembered the detention.

"Oh my gosh! I'm late for my detention! I'll see you two later. Pray for me!" Harry yelled as he ran out of the room.

"Well, I see we're now late, Mr. Potter," said Snape as Harry walked into the classroom.

"Sorry," said Harry. "I just lost track of time."

"I don't want to hear any excuses, Mr. Potter. What I want to hear is you remaking that potion."

"Umm, sorry Professor."

As Snape went to his supply room/office, Harry noticed something peculiar on Snape's desk.

"Hmmm…what is this?" Harry said to himself.

It's appearance was of a shiny silver bowl containing a silver liquid of some sort. It also had small amounts of steam evading the surface. Harry quietly looked around the room to make sure that Snape was still getting the supplies for the potion.

"Good, that lonely, ugly man can stay in there for all I care," Harry thought.

As he approached the object, the liquid began swirling, eventually creating what looked like a whirlpool, steaming more and more as it swirled faster and faster. Turning around to once again find Snape in the supply room, Harry put his hands on the rim of the silver bowl. As he did this, he looked into the silver liquid and was suddenly taken to an unfamiliar place.

"Where am I?" Harry thought to himself.

He realized that he was seeing into the past after a few moments and a surprisingly unpleasant vision…..

As Harry looked around, he realized he was at a hospital. The room he was seeing was all white with little doctors' instruments all around. He saw three familiar faces; his mother, Lily, his father, James, and…Snape?

"What is Snape doing there?" Harry thought.

Harry knew that the baby his mother was holding was himself. He could faintly hear what the three adults were saying to each other.

"Come on," he said. "Why can't I hear them?"

Finally, as if the mysterious bowl had read his mind, sound entered his ears.

"What are we going to name him?" Lily said to Snape.

"How about Enry?" suggested Snape

"Hmmm…I don't know about that one. What about Hadrick?"

"No, I don't think that quite fits him either."

Finally, at the same time, Snape and Lily said, "What about Harry?" Both of them smiled as they knew that would be their son's name.

Snape then turned to James saying, "James, there's a reason I brought you here with us. I know we don't get along very well, but I trust you like you're my brother." Lily and James had confused looks on their faces.

"I would love more than anything for Lily and I to raise Harry, but I believe that it would be the best for both of us, Harry and me, if you and Lily raised him."

"What? Why?" Lily said.

"I can't raise a child under my influence. Being a death-eater, I don't think it would be a good idea to put any child under my supervision, let alone my own, So with this, James, I am asking you to be Harry's legal father," Snape said with a quivering voice.

"Why, of course, Severus, I would be honored to do that for you, but aren't you going to want to see him from time to time?"

"I'll try, but I can't guarantee anything. My life is so uncertain right now that I don't know which direction I'm headed."

"Well, Harry is going to want to know who his real father is, Snape."

"Actually, I would rather you not tell him."

"Snape, why are you doing this now?" Lily sobbed. "I can't believe this, it's like you're abandoning us."

"Lily, listen to me. I love you and I always will, but yours and Harry's safety comes before anything else and if you stay with me, you will always be in danger and I can't stand to put you or Harry in that situation."

"Will you at least visit him?" she asked.

"Like I said, I will see, but if it means putting you two in danger, then the answer is no."

"Oh, Severus, I will miss you so much," said Lily as they kissed each other goodbye.

Snape gave Harry a kiss on the forehead and said, "Goodbye for now, little one." As Snape left the hospital room with a tear running down his face. With this, Lily began sobbing again and Harry's cries could have been heard five rooms away.

In pure shock, Harry felt a cold, shaky hand grip his shoulder. He was forced to turn around to none other than Snape, who looked as if he were about to have a panic attack. "What did you see?" he said in a small, shaky voice.


	2. Haunting Similarities

**Haunting Similarities**

Note: are symbols for thoughts.

Harry had to think again of what Snape had just said. "What did you see?" went through Harry's mind again.

"I…er…nothing," he said quietly, The picture of his mother and Snape flashing in his mind.

It can't be true…it's just a cruel joke. Bloody git.

"Don't lie Potter!! What did you see?!" Snape growled as he stepped forward, his eyes glowing dangerously.

"I said it was nothing!" Harry shouted. Snape sneered.

"Again, Potter, you have proven yourself to be as arrogant and nosy as your good-for-nothing father. You have used my pensive without an invitation! Now, tell me what you saw!"

"Shut up! Don't talk about my dad—he stopped with a start.

Who was his dad?

"I actually feel bad for your mother, having to be married to that idiot. She deserved much better than-"

"Than why did you leave her?!" Harry shouted.

He darted past Snape and out the door, allowing it to slam behind him.

Severus stood stock still. His mouth hung open. Of all the things the brat had to see, it was that one. He had never planned on telling him. He never wanted him to find out. It was better for Harry that way. It was better for both of them that way, or so he thought.

Damn it!

His cloak billowed behind him as he briskly walked down the hallway. He had to talk to Dumbledore.

Harry returned to the common room to find Ron and Hermione studying for divination. When the two of them saw the angry and confused look on Harry's face, they were on their feet.

"Oh my gosh, Harry, are you okay?"

Harry then felt his head spinning and his legs gave out on him. He collapsed in the corner, still conscience but with a very bad headache.

"Harry, what's wrong?!" cried Hermione.

"What did that git do to you?" asked Ron.

"How…how could he?" Harry said breathlessly.

"What Harry? How could who do what?"

"Snape, how could he?" Harry said as he began to black out.

"Harry? Harry! Stay awake Harry!" Hermione said as she panicked.

"Harry? Can you hear me? Harry?" Hermione said in a panicky voice.

"Huh?...Where am I?" Harry mumbled.

"Harry, can you hear me?" Hermione said once again.

"Ye-yes, but what happened?"

Hermione felt a sigh of relief as she hugged Harry.

"Harry, you passed out."

"I what?"

"You passed out."

"How?"

"You came back from Snape's and kept asking, 'How could he do this?' and then you passed out."

Harry then regained his memory and felt anger boiling up inside him again.

"Harry, what did Snape do to you?" asked Ron.

"It's not what he did." replied Harry. "It's what he didn't do."

"Well, what didn't he do then?"

"I can't really tell you right now…I have to go talk to Dumbledore, now," Harry said as he got to his feet and once again left Ron and Hermione wondering in the common room.

Oh, god, what if Snape is my real father? This changes everything…everything.

Upon arriving at the entrance to Dumbledore's office, Harry gave the password: "Sherbet Lemon." The massive stone gargoyle stairway began turning and elevated Harry to Dumbledore's office.

Harry walked in, observing the many mysterious objects as he walked past them. Just then, Harry saw that Snape was in the next room, talking to Dumbledore and felt a hot wave of anger come over him once again. He reached for his wand, but when he began to point it at Snape, Dumbledore made it go flying across the room with his own magic.

As Snape walked towards him, Harry looked him straight in the eyes and said, "How could you? How could you leave my mother you good-for-nothing coward? And how could you, all these years, not tell me who you really were?" Harry said as he felt himself get weak again.

"Harry, please, sit down. Now, Harry, Severus has already told me what had occurred earlier. I'm sorry that you had to discover such a thing as this. I would have wanted you to find out differently."

"Well, Potter, if you had kept your nose in your own problems this never would have happened. There are reasons for you not to know certain things, but you insist on being a fat-headed Gryffindor and put others in danger for your benefit," Snape growled.

"Well, if you hadn't been a coward and left my mother in the first place, we wouldn't even be here discussing this matter," Harry said with a contemptuous look at Snape.

"Okay, enough, both of you. I want you to both go to bed and try to get some sleep. I know that's going to be easier said than done for both of you, but right now I think you both just need to stop and think about how you can help each other through this," said Dumbledore.

"Fine, but if he sneaks into any more of my things, I will ban him from my class!" Snape yelled.

"That wouldn't be a problem with me," said Harry bravely. "I never said I enjoyed your class anyway."

"Both of you…stop this nonsense...now!" Dumbledore said. "Obviously, this will take more work than I thought."

As Harry walked back to the common room, he thought about how Lily and Snape could have ended up together in the first place. He had never heard of them ever having a relationship and had always heard that Lily and James had been sweethearts since their fifth year at Hogwart's.

When Harry arrived at the common room, Hermione and Ron were asleep in the two chairs and everyone else had gone to sleep. Harry definitely did not feel like talking at the moment so he quietly tip-toed towards the boys' stairway.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered.

Harry turned, trying to put a smile on his face.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Oh, nothing," Harry lied. I'll tell you in the morning."

"Harry, are you telling me the truth?"

"Just go back to sleep; I'll tell you all about it in the morning." Harry knew he had to think of some story to tell her the next morning. He didn't want anybody else to know what he knew.

"You better," said Hermione as she walked towards the girls' staircase.

"I will."

"Good night," said Hermione.

"Good night."

They both went to their rooms while Snape was in his office thinking of ways to keep this whole thing a secret still.

Harry awoke to Hermione's voice the next morning.

"Harry, wake up! You're going to be late for class!" Hermione yelled.

"Wha-what? How did you get in here?"

"Everybody else has already gone to breakfast!"

"Oh, okay, I'll be down in a sec…you go ahead."

"Okay, I'll see you downstairs then."

Hermione ran out of the room and down to the great hall.

Oh my gosh, how am I going to be able to sit down there and eat with Snape at the Professors' table? I guess I just won't eat breakfast. Aghh!! worse than that, I have a class with him today! That's going to be impossible!

Finally, Harry was dressed and went downstairs, but only halfway to find that Snape wasn't there.

He must be trying to stay away from me too.

"Harry, are you coming?" Hermione asked insistently.

"Uh, yeah, I'm coming," Harry replied hesitantly.

Harry descended the rest of the stairs and sat next to Hermione, with Ron on the other side of her.

"Okay, we've waited long enough, tell us what happened last night!" Hermione said impatiently.

"Ummm…nothing, really. I just…found out that I…ummm…"

'ding, ding, ding'

"Oh, there's the bell, gotta go!," Harry said, thankful that the bell had rung just in time.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione yelled after him.

"I can't tell you right now, I have to get to class!"

Harry didn't hear a word Professor Trelawney had said the whole hour. He couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Snape was his biological father. He had walked through the rest of the day in a haze.

When it was time for Potions, Harry felt a pit in his stomach. How am I going to do this? To his surprise, however, Snape wasn't there and instead, they had a substitute teacher. Thank goodness.

Finally, in Care of Magical Creatures, Harry thought of a story to tell Ron and Hermione. I'll just tell them that I found out that I have another relative that could have been taking care of me this whole time and that I found out from Snape…he let it slip that I had a step-uncle…yeah, that'll work. I wouldn't be totally lying, after all, Snape could have been taking care of me all this time.

'ding, ding, ding."

Harry awoke from his thoughts to find Hagrid standing over him.

"Harry, what's wrong? You haven't participated in class at all today."

"Oh, I'm just getting a lot of homework lately and I'm not getting much sleep, that's all."

"Are you sure that's all, Harry?"

"Yes, that's all," Harry lied again.

"Okay, but remember, Harry, if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to ask me, okay?"

"I know, Hagrid. You're a great friend," Harry said with the first smile he had given anybody all day.

"Well, you better get back to the castle now."

"Okay, bye Hagrid. See 'ya later."

"Bye now."

When Harry returned to the common room, he found Ron and Hermione sitting in one of the corners, each reading the same book.

"Hey guys," Harry said as cheerfully as he could.

"Hey, Harry, pull up a seat," Ron said.

Harry accepted the offer and sat next to Ron.

"Harry, what's going on? I'm tired of you not telling us. And don't say it's nothing because a person doesn't just pass out for nothing," Hermione said pleadingly.

"I just found out a surprising fact, that's all. Snape slipped and accidentally told me that I have a step-uncle, which means that this step-uncle of mine could have been taking care of me the whole time."

"Really?" Hermione said, obviously buying into Harry's lie.

"Yeah, that's all. I was just really angry and surprised. I was angry that no one had told me about this step-uncle of mine before."

"Oh, alright mate. You really had us worried that it was something a lot more serious than that," Ron said.

"Well, who is it?" asked Hermione.

"Ummm…his name is ummm…Ashton Evans," Harry replied with a sigh of relief.

"Oh, so he's on your mom's side? I thought your mom didn't have any brothers," Hermione said questioningly.

"Well, he's kind-of the black sheep of the family from what I hear. That's why nobody wanted me to know about him."

"Ohhhh."

Harry was becoming pretty good at making up stories, but he didn't like it. He never liked lying, but had had to so many times in his life that it now came naturally.

"Well, it's getting late, so I better be getting to bed," relieved that they didn't ask him any more questions.

"Okay, good night, Harry," Hermione said with a smile.

"Good night, Harry," Ron said.

"Good night."

Harry let out a sigh of relief as he got into bed to try to get some sleep. Dumbledore's not going to be happy; I haven't talked to him all day, but where is he anyway? I haven't even seen him all day.

Harry finally drifted off to sleep a couple hours later. He dreamed of what he saw in the pensive…the hospital room, Snape, his mother, his fa-well, step-father, and him as a baby; all these years and he didn't have a clue.

When Harry awoke, he put his glasses on and saw that everyone in his room was still asleep and it was only 6:00 in the morning. Once awake, he could not get back to sleep. As he sat in bed thinking, he realized just how much alike he and Snape were…they were both stubborn, they were both skinny, they both had jet black, messy hair, and the sorting hat had wanted to put Harry in the Slytherin house when he first arrived at Hogwart's. Oh my gosh, it's true…there's too many similarities for it not to be true. Why didn't I see it before? Harry sat there for quite some time thinking about his predicament.

'cough, cough'

Oh, no, Ron's getting up.

Harry looked over at Ron, who was beginning to sit up. Harry quickly pulled the covers up over him, lay back down, and closed his eyes as if he were sleeping the whole time.

"Harry?" Ron whispered. "Harry?"

"Huh…what?" Harry said as convincingly as he could.

"Harry, we have to get up…it's 7:00."

"Oh, okay."

Harry stood up out of bed and could feel his head spinning from the lack of sleep.

Ron and Harry waited for Hermione in the common room. As the three of them walked down to breakfast, Harry saw Snape at the Professors' table. He felt his stomach do a flip-flop. Great, just what I need to start my day off. Snape was not looking up, but instead looked like he was in deep thought.

Harry walked over and sat down at his usual spot. He couldn't eat; he had no appetite.

"Harry, aren't you going to eat anything?" Hermione asked.

"No, I'm not very hungry."

"You really should eat something, Harry. Remember, you have a Quidditch game against Slytherin today," Hermione said.

Harry had forgotten all about his Quidditch practice the night before and the game today.

Oh great, and Snape's going to be there.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

Harry suddenly snapped back to reality and said, "Crap! I totally forgot about the game!"

"Good goin' mate," Ron said sarcastically.

"Thanks Ron," Harry said, hanging his head.

At that moment, Harry noticed somebody out of the corner of his eye getting up at the Professors' table. Harry glanced up and saw Snape coming towards him.

"Oh god, don't come over here, don't come over here!" Harry said under his breath. Much to his despise, Snape kept approaching him.

"Good luck at the game today, Potter."

What?! He's telling me good luck? When has he ever been nice to me? Oh, I see what he's doing...he's hoping that'll I'll be nice to him and just let this whole thing go. Well, that's not going to happen.

"Oh, thanks, Professor Snape, but you forgot something."

"And what would that be, Potter?"

"I don't play on luck, I play on pure talent."

"See you at the game, Potter," Snape said, discutedly.

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

So what did you think? Yes, I know it's very much a cliff-hanger but I will update as soon as I get out of college for the summer, so just be patient:) Please review!!


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